System for Generating Cardiac and Other Electric Waveforms

1. A system for generating electrical signals, comprising: a panel, comprising: a first location for displaying and editing shape values, the shape values representing coordinates for a plurality of break points; a second location for displaying and editing a shape illustration generated from the shape values; and a control module for adjusting the shape values and shape illustration, the control module comprising an input configured to receive from a user the shape values and adjusted shape values, and further configured to output programming signals represented by the shape values and shape illustration; and a simulator, comprising: a communication port configured to receive the programming signals from the input; a memory configured to store instructions and predetermined values; a processor configured to process the programming signals and predetermined values according to the instructions stored in the memory; and an output port configured to make the processed signals available to a system under test (SUT) as electrical signals.

2. The system of claim 1 , the simulator further comprising: an input port configured to receive signals output from the SUT; a comparator configured to compare the processed signals from the processor with the signals from the SUT; and output a comparison signal through the communication port for display to a user.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the comparator is a digital comparator configured to compare digital processed signals from the processor and digital signals from the SUT.

4. The system of claim 2 , the simulator further comprising a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) configured to convert the processed signals from the processor into first analog signals, wherein the comparator is an analog comparator configured to compare analog processed signals from the processor and analog signals from the SUT.

5. The system of claim 2 , wherein the control module input is further configured to receive second values from the user to correct a misalignment between the signals output from the SUT and the processed signals from the processor.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the shape values represent coordinates of a plurality of breakpoints and the instructions stored in the memory and processed by the processor include instructions to: identify when a differential between two break points falls outside of a predetermined range; and indicate to the user of the presence of a possible abnormality.

7. The system of claim 2 , whereby the processor is further configured to: mix programmed noise from a noise generator with the programming signals; and indicate to the user how much noise the SUT has removed.

8. A method of generating simulated ECG electrical signals, comprising: displaying an interactive matrix for user input, the matrix comprising: a first row in which a plurality of break points is labeled, the break points identifying the beginning and end of ECG Q, R, S, T, and U waves and a point between the beginning and end of each wave; a first column in which the plurality of break points is labeled; a second column configured to receive user input of an amplitude value of each break point on a y-axis; a third column configured to receive user input of a time value of each break point on an x-axis; and a plurality of cells in a remaining portion of the matrix configured to receive user input of a time differential between two adjacent break points; providing a user with a selection of interpolation methods to define a connection path from one break point to a next break point; as values for each break point are accepted by the user, displaying the break point on a chart as a portion of an ECG waveform, including the connection path from each break point to the next break point; converting the entered values into an analog signal simulating an ECG waveform; and providing the analog signal to an input of an ECG monitor whereby the ECG monitor outputs a graphical display of the simulated ECG waveform.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising comparing the graphical display of the heart beat waveform output from the ECG monitor with a graphical display of the input to the ECG monitor.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising indicating for the user when a differential between two break points falls outside a predetermined range.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising mixing values representing noise into the data file representing the heart beat waveform before providing the data file to the input of the ECG monitor.

12. A system for generating simulated ECG electrical signals, comprising: an input configured to receive first values, the first values representing coordinates for a plurality of break points of a heart beat wave form, and further configured to output programming signals; a communication port configured to receive the programming signals from the input; a memory configured to store instructions and predetermined values; a processor configured to process the programming signals and predetermined values according to the instructions stored in the memory; an output port configured to make the processed signals available to an ECG monitor as simulated ECG signals.

13. The system of claim 12 , further comprising: an input port configured to receive signals output from the ECG monitor; a comparator configured to compare the processed signals from the processor with the signals from the ECG monitor and generate a comparison signal; and an output configured to output the comparison signal through the communication port for display to the user.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the comparator is a digital comparator configured to compare digital processed signals from the processor and digital signals from the ECG monitor.

15. The system of claim 13 , further comprising a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) configured to convert the processed signals from the processor into first analog signals, wherein the comparator is an analog comparator configured to compare analog processed signals from the processor and analog signals from the ECG monitor.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the input is further configured to receive second values from the user to correct a misalignment between the signals output from the ECG monitor and the processed signals from the processor.

17. The system of claim 12 , wherein the instructions stored in the memory and processed by the processor include instructions to: identify when a differential between two break points falls outside of a predetermined range; and indicate to the user of the presence of a possible abnormality.

18. The system of claim 12 , whereby the processor is further configured to: mix programmed noise from a noise generator with the programming signals; and indicate to the user how much noise the ECG monitor has removed.

19. A method of generating electrical signals, comprising: providing an interactive control panel; displaying on the interactive control panel a matrix wherein each cell in the matrix is identified by the intersection of a row and a column; labeling each row and each column for identifying a break point representing a fiducial point of an electrical signal to be generated; receiving for each cell contents comprising the time difference between the fiducial points that identify the cell; receiving for each break point a method to define a connection path from the break point to a next break point; converting the contents of the matrix cells into an analog signal representing the electrical signal to be generated; and outputting the analog signal for graphical display of the generated electric signal.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein outputting the analog signal for graphical display comprises providing the analog signal to an input of a system under test (SUT).

21. The method of claim 20 , further comprising comparing the graphical display output from the SUT with a graphical display of the input to the SUT.

22. The method of claim 20 , further comprising mixing values representing noise into the analog signal before outputting the analog signal to the input of the SUT.

23. The method of claim 19 , further comprising indicating for the user when a differential between two break points falls outside a predetermined range.